Rfid system and associated antenna-coupler

ABSTRACT

A RFID system and an associated antenna-coupler are provided. The system may be for selectively communicating with a targeted transponder from among a group of multiple adjacent transponders is provided. The system may include a transponder conveyance, a transceiver, and an antenna-coupler. The transponder conveyance is adapted to transport at least one targeted transponder from a group of multiple adjacent transponders through a transponder operating region. The transceiver is configured to generate one or more electrical signals. The antenna-coupler has first and second microstrips in a cross-like arrangement relative to each other. Each of the first and second microstrips is configured to transmit one or more electromagnetic fields concentrated in a near-field region of the antenna-coupler based on the one or more electrical signals for communicating with the targeted transponder.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/826,489 filed Sep. 21, 2006, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to systems configured to printindicia on a surface of a smart media and communicate data to and froman associated transponder of the smart media and, in particularly, tospatially selective antenna-couplers of such systems capable ofselectively communicating with a targeted transponder from among a groupof adjacent transponders.

2. Description of Related Art

Printers are used to print text, graphics, and other indicia on avariety of media, including media having data storage devices such asmagnetic strips, memory components, radio frequency identification(RFID) tags, barcodes, optical devices, and the like. For purposes ofthe present invention and appended claims the term “information card”shall refer to a printable media that is adapted to convey and/orcontain information. A credit card is an exemplary information card thatconveys information in the form of printed indicia and containsinformation that is stored as data on a magnetic strip. This data isretrieved simply by swiping the card's magnetic strip in front of areader as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Smart cards are information cards having a memory for storing data and adevice for accessing the memory. Contactless smart cards use an antennaor other similar devices to communicate wirelessly with a reader. Othertypes of smart cards communicate with a reader based on directelectrical contact between conductors or “contacts” defined on the card(e.g., copper or gold plated contacts) and similar conductors disposedon the reader.

The printed information conveyed by an information card is typicallycreated during printing operations that are distinct from the encodingoperations used to write data to the information card's memory. Forexample, a blank information card may be fed through a printer to printtext, graphics, barcodes, etc., to either side or both sides of theinformation card. Data is conventionally written to the card memorybefore or after such printing operations. In this regard, the sameprinter can be used for printing various cards, regardless of the typeof encoding to be performed. Similarly, a single electroniccommunication device or reader can be used to encode various cards,regardless of the type of printing to be performed. However, separateoperations for printing and encoding can increase the time and expensenecessary to manufacture information cards. Further, care must be takento ensure that the printed and electronically encoded information foreach card correspond to one another. Said differently, if the cards aretaken out of order between the printing and encoding operations, suchcards may inadvertently receive printed information that was intendedfor a first card type and electronic data that was intended for adifferent card type. In addition, different printing and encodingdevices typically require separate electrical connections to one or morehost computers that generally control such devices through multiplecommunication ports.

Separate printing and encoding operations are typically controlled by ahost computer using separate software for controlling each of thedifferent operations. For example, if a change in the printing operationis to be effected, an operator typically accesses a first softwareprogram on the host computer. To make a change to the encodingoperation, the operator instead accesses a second software program onthe computer. This can complicate the operator's role, possiblyincreasing the time required for making changes or verifying anoperation and also increasing the risk of operator error.

Thus, there exists a need for a printer/encoder that addresses thedeficiencies noted above and achieves multiple other benefits as will bedescribed in greater detail below.

SUMMARY

The present invention may address some of the deficiencies discussedabove by providing a system that may be configured to print and encodemedia, such as cards with associated transponders. More specifically,the system may include a transceiver and a near field antenna-couplerfor communicating with the associated transponders.

For example, according to an embodiment of the present invention, asystem for selectively communicating with a targeted transponder fromamong a group of multiple adjacent transponders is provided. The systemmay include a transponder conveyance, a transceiver, and anantenna-coupler. The transponder conveyance is adapted to transport atleast one targeted transponder from a group of multiple adjacenttransponders through a transponder operating region. The transceiver isconfigured to generate one or more electrical signals. Theantenna-coupler has first and second microstrips in a cross-likearrangement relative to each other. Each of the first and secondmicrostrips is configured to transmit one or more electromagnetic fieldsconcentrated in a near-field region of the antenna-coupler based on theone or more electrical signals for communicating with the targetedtransponder.

The antenna-coupler may further include a first port in communicationwith both of the first and second microstrips such that both of thefirst and second microstrips receive the one or more electrical signalsconcurrently. Or the system may further include a switch for sending theone or more electrical signals from the transceiver to either one of thefirst and second microstrips. In other words, the switch may be used toactivate only one of the microstrips such that only one is transmittingthe electromagnetic fields or both microstrips may be activated suchthat both are transmitting electromagnetic fields.

According to an embodiment, the first and second microstrips are spacedapart and separated by the at least one substrate. In anotherembodiment, the first and second microstrips are substantially co-planerand the first microstrip further includes a first section, a secondsection, and a bridge. The first section extends from a first end of thefirst microstrip to approximately the second microstrip. The secondsection extends from approximately the second microstrip to a second endof the first microstrip. And the first and second sections are linkedthrough the bridge that extends around the second microstrip such thatthe first and second microstrips do not intersect.

The antenna-coupler may further include a first resistive load forterminating the first microstrip and a second resistive load forterminating the second microstrip. The first microstrip defines acharacteristic impedance which may be less than the first resistiveload. Similarly, the second microstrip defines a characteristicimpedance which may be less than the second resistive load.

Each of the first and second microstrips has a tapered profile. Forexample, the tapered profile may be a modified bow-tie. Each of thefirst and second microstrips defines a length. According to anembodiment, the length is substantially equal to a multiple of one halfa wavelength of an operational frequency of the antenna-coupler. Theoperational frequency of the antenna-coupler may be selected from arange of frequencies from 300 MHz to 3 GHz or from a range offrequencies from 860 MHz to 960 GHz.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn toscale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a section view schematically illustrating a printer accordingto one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary media card thatcan be processed with a printing and reading/writing operation of theprinter of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a printer having a reject trayaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a printer accordingto another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a graphical user interfacefor use in conjunction with controlling a printer according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a section view schematically illustrating a printer accordingto another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a process of simultaneouslycommunicating with and printing to a card or other media and validatingthe printed or communicated information according to one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a different process ofcommunicating with and printing to a card and validating the printed orcommunicated information according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating yet another process ofcommunicating with and printing to a card and validating the printed orcommunicated information according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the printer havinga an integrated interface and configured to print a card and communicatewith a card in parallel according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 a is a perspective view of an antenna-coupler according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 b is a side section view of the antenna-coupler of FIG. 11 a;

FIGS. 12 a-e illustrate various types of RFID transponders in landscapeand portrait orientations relative to the feed direction according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 a illustrates crosswise transponder movement over theantenna-coupler of FIG. 11 a;

FIG. 13 b illustrates lateral transponder movement over theantenna-coupler of FIG. 11 a;

FIG. 14 is a high-level system block diagram of a XML system accordingto one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a section view schematically illustrating a printer accordingto another particular embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 a is a perspective view of an antenna-coupler according toanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 b is a side section view of the antenna-coupler of FIG. 16 a;

FIG. 17 a illustrates crosswise transponder movement over theantenna-coupler of FIG. 16 a; and

FIG. 17 b illustrates lateral transponder movement over theantenna-coupler of FIG. 16 a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodimentsof the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Likenumbers refer to like elements throughout.

Smart Media Printer and Encoder

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a printerthat is configured to communicate with a host device for receiving asignal and, in response to the signal, printing indicia on a mediaand/or electronically storing data on an electronic storage deviceassociated with the media. According to one embodiment of the presentinvention, the printer includes a print device for printing human ormachine-readable indicia, such as graphics, text, barcodes, or the likeon one or more surfaces of the media. A controller can be configured tocontrol the print device. The printer also includes at least onecommunication device for communicating with the media according to aselect protocol. For purposes of this application, “communicating” withthe media may include writing information to or reading information fromthe media. In other words, a communication device communicating with themedia may include such reading and writing operations as encoding anelectronic storage device or magnetic strip on the media, writinginformation on the media in the form of a barcode or hologram, readinginformation from an electronic storage device, barcode, hologram, ormagnetic strip, etc.

Each electronic communication device (also referred to herein simply as“a communication device”) can be configured to store data on the mediaand/or read data therefrom using different communication protocols. Forexample, each of the electronic communication devices can be adapted forvarious types of communication with various types of electronic storagedevices that may be provided on the media. In particular, the media caninclude a magnetic strip, a contactless (i.e., non-contact) device suchas an RFID tag or other contactless memory circuitry, a contact devicesuch as an integrated circuit with contact terminals, and the like.Alternatively, one or more of the electronic communication devices canbe configured to store or read data by disposing or detecting materialon the media, e.g., fluorescent text, a hologram, encoded pixilatedimages, or the like. In any case, the printer can include multiple typesof electronic communication devices, each of which can communicate usinga different communication protocol, so that the printer can read and/orwrite to various types of media.

Each electronic communication device of the printer can be integral tothe printer so that the printer can perform each of the printing andelectronic communication operations. Further, the printer can performboth operations as part of a combined process, i.e., while the media isbeing fed through the printer in one or more pass along a feed orconveyance path thereof. The printing and electronic communication canbe controlled by a single controller, such as a microprocessor or thelike that communicates with each of the electronic communicationdevices. In addition, the electronic communication devices cancommunicate with an external controller, such as a host computer, whichcan be the same host computer that controls the operation of the printerfunctions of the printer. In fact, the printer can communicate with thehost computer or other controller via a single, integrated communicationport, for example single wireless communication port, and/or a singlecommunication cable. For example, the cable can include conductiveelements configured for communication using one or more protocols suchas parallel, serial, universal serial bus (USB), Ethernet, and the likefor controlling each of the different printing and reading/writingoperations.

According to one aspect of the invention, the host computer, the cable,and the communication port of the printer are configured forcommunicating signals for printing as well as communicating with themedia via the different electronic communication devices so thatdifferent types of communication can be performed. That is, the hostdevice can communicate a signal to the printer via the integratedcommunication port, and the signal can be representative of the indiciaand data to be encoded on the media. The electronic communicationdevices can also be configured to read data from the media according tothe respective protocols, and any data read from the media or related tothe printing or encoding of the media can be communicated to the hostvia the same integrated communication port.

In addition, the host computer can be programmed to control each of theoperations of the printer using an integral software program. Forexample, the host computer can be configured to perform a plurality ofoperations of an integral software program, which is configured tocontrol the printing of the indicia by the print device and thecommunication of the data by the communication device(s). The integralsoftware program can provide a single user interface for controlling theprinting of the indicia by the print device and the communication of thedata by the first and second electronic communication devices. Thus, anoperator can control the printing and reading/writing communicationoperations of the printer using one software program, and the softwareprogram can have a single user interface therefor.

According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a method ofprinting on a media in a printer and selectively electronically storingdata on the media according to one of multiple communication protocolsin response to a signal received from a host device. A signal that isrepresentative of an indicia and data is received from the host devicevia an integrated communication port. The indicia is printed on asurface of the media according to the signal. One of multiplecommunication protocols is selected for storing the data, and, in somecases, one of multiple electronic communication devices is selectedaccording to the select communication protocol. Each electroniccommunication device can be configured to store the data on the mediausing a different communication protocol. The communication devicesand/or communication protocols can also be used for reading data fromthe media. Thus, the data can be stored on the media according to thesignal using the select communication protocol and/or the selectcommunication device. The printing, selecting, and storing operationscan be controlled and/or performed by a controller, and these operationscan be performed during a combined operation, e.g., while the media isfed in one or more passes through the printer. The printing and storingoperations can be controlled by a single, i.e., integral, softwareprogram that includes a plurality of operations. Further, a single userinterface can be provided for controlling the printing of the indiciaand the storing of the data.

According to another embodiment, the present invention also provides acomputer program product for communicating between a host device and aprinter. The computer program product includes a computer-readablestorage medium having computer-readable program code portions storedtherein. The computer-readable program code portions can include a firstexecutable portion for communicating a signal representative of anindicia and data to the printer so that the signal controls the printerto print the indicia on a surface of a media and store the data on themedia according to a select one of multiple communication protocols. Thefirst executable portion can be configured to select one of multipleelectronic communication devices of the printer according to the selectcommunication protocol and thereby control the select communicationdevice to store the data on the media. For example, the data can bestored on a magnetic strip, an RFID tag, or an integrated circuit, orthe data can be stored using fluorescent text, a barcode, a hologram, orencoded pixilated images. The first executable portion can be configuredto communicate with the printer via the integrated communication portusing a parallel port, a serial port, a universal serial bus (USB) port,or an Ethernet port, and communication by each type of port can beperformed using a communication protocol that corresponds to theparticular type of port that is used, e.g., a USB protocol can be usedwhen communicating via a USB port. For example, the first executableportion can communicate the signal to a controller of the printer via anintegrated communication port so that the controller is configured toreceive the signal and print the indicia and store the data according tothe signal. A second executable portion of the computer program productcan provide an integral user interface for controlling the printing ofthe indicia and the storing of the data. A third executable portion canalso be provided to read data from the media according to the selectcommunication protocol.

Referring now to the figures and, in particular, to FIG. 1, there isshown a printer 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.The printer 10 is electrically connected to a host computer 12 via aninput/output (I/O) port 14 and a data communication cable 16. Theprinter 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is adapted for printing cards 18, suchas information cards. As shown in FIG. 2, the card 18 can include one ormore magnetic strips 18 a, contactless devices such as RFID tags 18 b,contact devices such as an integrated circuit 18 c with a memory andcontact terminals 18 d, fluorescent text 18 e, holograms 18 f, a barcode18 g or otherwise encoded pixilated image, or the like.

The printer 10 can include features of the P310i, P330i, P430i, andP530i Printers available from Zebra Technologies Corp., which aregenerally configured for printing cards. However, it is appreciated thatthe printer 10 can alternatively be adapted to receive other types ofmedia such as labels, paper or cardboard sheets or strips, envelopes,tickets, and the like. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the printer 10 definesa feed or conveyance path 20 that extends through a housing 22 of theprinter 10 from an entrance 24 to an exit 26. The conveyance path 20generally defines the path of travel of the media, such as the cards 18,through the printer 10. Rotatable rollers 28 or other media support andtransport devices, such as one or more belts, may be provided along theconveyance path 20 to feed or convey the media therethrough. The rollers28 are typically rotated by one or more electric motors 30, which arecontrolled by a motor driver 32, to feed the cards 18 or other mediaalong the conveyance path 20 through the printer 10 during operation.Thus, during a typical printing operation of the printer 10, a stack ofthe cards 18 can be provided in a hopper 34 proximate to the entrance 24of the conveyance path 20, and the cards 18 can be individually fed fromone side of the stack and then fed along the conveyance path 20 to theexit 26. The printer 10 can include an output hopper 35 proximate theexit 26 of the conveyance path 20 for collecting the cards 18 after theyare fed along the conveyance path 20.

In one embodiment, such as in the embodiment depicted by FIG. 3, theprinter 10 can include a reject tray 37 into which rejected cards aredeposited. For example, the printer 10 may include a method and/or adevice for checking whether the cards 18 or other media have beenprinted, encoded, or otherwise communicated with effectively. If theprinter 10 determines that the cards 18 have not been effectivelycommunicated with, the printer 10 may be configured to send the cards 18into the reject tray 37 instead of sending the cards to the outputhopper 35. The printer may have a second conveyance path 21 configuredto feed a rejected card from the conveyance path 20 to the reject tray37.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a head 36 of the printer 10 can be a devicefor disposing a dye onto stock media. For example, a thermal dye ribbon38 can extend from a supply spool 40 to a take-up spool 42 with theribbon 38 disposed between the head 36 and one of the cards 18 in theconveyance path 20. Dyes of one or more colors may be carried on theribbon 38, and the head(s) 36 is configured to press the ribbon 38against the card 18 and/or heat the ribbon 38 at particular locations sothat the dye in the particular locations of the ribbon 38 is transferredto the card 18. Such a thermal printing operation is described, e.g., inU.S. Pat. No. 6,151,037 to Kaufman, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,004 toEhrhardt; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,066 to Adams, et al., each of which isassigned to the assignee of the present application, and the contents ofeach of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. Inother embodiments of the present invention, the printer can bealternatively configured to print, e.g., using a retransfer printingmechanism, direct thermal printing mechanism, or other printingmechanisms.

As each card 18 is fed along the conveyance path 20 of the printer 10,the head 36 can dispose one or more colors onto the card 18 in apredetermined pattern. In some cases, the ribbon 38 can define repeatingframes of panels, each panel having a dye of a different color than theother panels of the same frame. For example, each frame can includepanels that are yellow, magenta, and cyan, respectively. The cards 18can be alternately advanced and retracted in opposite directions alongthe conveyance path 20 so that each card 18 is fed under the head 36multiple times, during which the head 36 can print different colors fromthe different panels of a frame.

The printer 10 is also configured to communicate data to and/or from themedia using one or more electronic communication devices 44. The devices44 can generally be used to read data from the media and/or write datato the media. For example, one or more of the devices 44 can be adaptedto communicate with a particular type of electronic storage deviceprovided on the media, i.e., on a surface of the media, embedded withinthe media, or otherwise associated with the media. Thus, the printer 10can be used to selectively communicate with the media according to thetype of media and the desired form of data storage. In fact, the printer10 can be used to process various types of media and can communicateaccordingly using one or more protocols for each media. The electroniccommunication devices 44 can be disposed on either or both sides of theconveyance path 20, and, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the devices 44 can belocated at various positions throughout the printer 10. In oneembodiment, the printer 10 includes two or more electronic communicationdevices 44 that are disposed internal to the housing 22 of the printer10 and configured to communicate using at least two different protocols.Any number of the electronic communication devices 44 can be activatedduring processing of the media.

In one embodiment, one or more of the electronic communication devices44 may be a modular component that is easily replaced withoutsignificant interruption of printing operations. For example, each ofthe electronic communication devices 44 disposed within the housing 22of the printer 10 can be configured to be interchangeable with eachother and/or with other communication devices. That is, the electroniccommunication devices 44 can be similar in size, shape, structure, orother physical configuration. In some cases, the electroniccommunication devices 44 can also be configured to connect to theprinter 10 using similar electrical connections. Thus, the communicationdevices 44 can be quickly and easily replaced, e.g., if it is desired tocommunicate with the media using an electronic communication device thatis not presently provided in the printer 10, to adjust one of theelectronic communication devices 44 in a particular position ororientation to correspond to a particular type of media being processed,or if any of the electronic communication devices 44 require maintenanceor repair.

The printer 10 includes a controller 46 for communicating with the host12 and controlling the operations of the printer 10. As shown in FIG. 1,the controller 46 can be a single integral device that controls thefeeding, printing, reading, writing, and other operations of the printer10. However, it is also appreciated that the functions of the controller46 can be shared by multiple devices, such as a separate printcontroller, communication controller, motor driver controller, and thelike.

FIG. 4 illustrates a controller 46 according to one embodiment of thepresent invention. The controller 46 is configured to communicate withthe host computer 12 via the cable 16 and I/O port 14. The controller 46is also configured to communicate via an internal electrical connection48 with the print mechanism 50, i.e., the roller motor(s) 30 and/ormotor driver 32, one or more print heads 36, a printer display, andother equipment of the printer 10. The controller 46 includes amicroprocessor 52 or other electrical control device capable ofreceiving a signal from the host computer 12 and responding bycontrolling the print and communication operations accordingly. A memory54 can also be provided, e.g., for buffering signals from the hostcomputer 12, for storing operating instructions, and the like. Thus, thehost computer 12 can perform a print operation by sending a signal tothe controller 46 instructing the controller 46 to control the printmechanism 50 accordingly to feed, i.e., convey, the media and printtext, graphics, or other indicia on one or both sides of the media.

The microprocessor 52, or alternatively another device of the controller46, is also configured to communicate with the electronic communicationdevices 44, designated by reference numerals 44 a-44 g and referred tocollectively by numeral 44. As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 46 iselectrically connected to a Wi-Fi receiver/transmitter 44 a, a magneticcard reader/writer 44 b, a Bluetooth receiver/transmitter 44 c, acontact smart card encoder/de-coder 44 d, a contactless smart cardencoder/de-coder 44 e, a barcode printer/scanner 44 f, and a holographicprinter/reader 44 g.

The electronic communication devices 44 are generally configured tocommunicate using different protocols. For example, the Wi-Fireceiver/transmitter 44 a is configured to detect and/or generate Wi-Fisignals for communicating with another Wi-Fi device, such as a Wi-Fireceiver disposed on the card 18 or other media. Similarly, theBluetooth receiver/transmitter 44 c is configured to detect and/orgenerate a Bluetooth wireless signal.

The first smart card encoder/de-coder 44 d is a “contact” deviceconfigured to transmit and/or receive a signal for writing to and/orreading from a smart card via electrical contacts that touchcorresponding contacts of the smart card. For example, theencoder/decoder 44 d can communicate data to and/or from an integratedcircuit with a memory that is disposed on the card 18 via contacts 18 d.

The second smart card encoder/de-coder 44 e is a contactless, i.e.,non-contact, device that is configured to transmit and/or receive aradio frequency (RF) signal to communicate data to and/or from anelectronic data storage device on the media, such as an RFID tag or anelectronic article surveillance (EAS) RF resonant security element. Inone embodiment, the smart card encoder/de-coder 44 d is configured tocommunicate in the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) electromagnetic energyband. In another embodiment, the encoder is configured to communicate inthe high-frequency (HF) band. UHF encoders generally transmit andreceive signals in the 300 MHz-3 GHz range, and preferably in the860-960 MHz range, while HF encoders generally transmit and receivesignals in the 13.56 MHz range.

The magnetic card reader/writer 44 b includes a magnetic head that isconfigured to read and/or write to a magnetic strip on a media. Thebarcode printer/scanner 44 f is configured to print and/or scan abarcode or other printed indicia on the media. For example, the barcodecan be scanned by directing a laser or other optical radiation at thebarcode and detecting reflectance therefrom. In some cases, the printingmechanism 50 can be used to print the barcode on the media, and thebarcode communication device 44 f can be a scanner that is configured toread but not write the bar code. Similarly, the holographicprinter/reader 44 g can be configured to dispose material for forming aholographic image and/or to detect such material for decoding the image,e.g., a hologram formed as an overlay on the media. However, in someembodiments, the hologram communication device 44 g can be configured todetect the hologram, which can be printed by the printing mechanism 50or otherwise. Further, each of the barcode and hologram communicationdevices 44 f, 44 g can alternatively be configured for printing ordetecting other indicia such as alphanumeric symbols, text, graphics,colored markings, or the like. It is appreciated that the printer 10 caninclude any of these or other communication devices.

The electronic communication devices 44 can be provided at variouslocations throughout the printer 10 and can be positioned adjacent theconveyance path 20 or remotely from the conveyance path 20. For example,in one embodiment, one or more communication devices 44 are provided ata position that is spaced from the conveyance path 20 and configured tocommunicate wirelessly with a contactless device, such as an RFID tag 18b, supported on the card 18. Exemplary positions for the electroniccommunications devices 44 that are remote from the conveyance path 20are illustrated in FIG. 1 and indicated by reference numerals 44′, 44″,44′″. The remotely positioned communication devices 44′, 44″, 44′″ arealso referred to collectively with the other communication devices byreference numeral 44.

In addition, the electronic communication devices 44 can be configuredto communicate with the card 18 at various times throughout theprocessing of the card 18 in the printer 10. For example, as illustratedin FIG. 1, one of the electronic communication devices 44′ is providedgenerally below the print head 36 such that the electronic communicationdevice 44′ is in sufficient proximity with (though not adjacent to) thecard 18 for communicating with the card 18 when the card issubstantially positioned below the head 36 and available to the head 36for printing. In particular, the electronic communication device 44′ canbe a contactless device, such as a contactless smart cardencoder/de-coder, and the communication device 44′ can be configured toread from and/or write to the card 18, such as to an RFID tag 18 b onthe card 18, while the head 36 is printing on the card 18 or while thecard is otherwise positioned and ready for printing by the head 36.Thus, in some cases, the printer 10 can print on the card 18 whilesimultaneously or substantially simultaneously communicating with one ormore data storage devices on the card 18, such as a magnetic strip 18 a,RFID tag 18 b, integrated circuit 18 c, fluorescent text 18 e, hologram18 f, barcode 18 g, or the like.

Single Integrated Interface with the Host Device

As noted above, the host computer 12 and the controller 46 cancommunicate via the I/O port 14 and the cable 16. In particular, thehost computer 12 can transmit signals to the controller 46 via the cable16 and I/O port 14 for controlling the operation of the printer 10.Typically, the signal transmitted by the host computer 12 includesinformation for controlling an operation for printing the media by theprinter 10, as well as information for controlling the communicationwith the media using the communication devices 44.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the host computer12 issues a signal having communication data corresponding, at least inpart, to the particular communication device 44 that is to be used in areading/writing operation of data storage devices supported by themedia. For example, if it is desired for the controller 46 to encodedata to data storage devices on the media using a select one of theelectronic communication devices 44, information identifying orotherwise describing the particular communication device (or the type ofcommunication or media) can be communicated to the host computer 12 bythe controller 46, the operator, or otherwise. Thereafter, the hostcomputer 12 can issue a signal using an appropriate protocol. That is,the data transmitted to the controller 46 can be in a format for use bythe select communication device 44. For example, if a magnetic strip onthe media is to be encoded with binary data, the data can becommunicated to the controller 46 in a binary format. Alternatively, ifgraphical information is to be stored on the media, the data can becommunicated to the controller 46 in any of various graphical formats.In other embodiments of the present invention, the controller 46 can beconfigured to format or otherwise process the data before the data isdelivered to the appropriate communication device 44. Thus, in somecases, the host computer 12 can provide a signal that is received by thecontroller 46 and thereafter used by the controller 46 for communicatingwith any of various types of media.

In some cases, the controller 46 can also transmit information to thehost computer 12 via the cable 16 and I/O port 14. For example, if anyof the communication devices 44 are used for reading data from themedia, that data can be communicated by the controller 46 to the hostcomputer 12. In addition, the controller 46 can communicate otherinformation to the host computer 12, such as the operational status ofthe printer 10, the progress or success of the printer 10 in a printingand/or reading/writing operation, the type of media in the printer 10,and the like.

Thus, the cable 16 and I/O port 14 can provide an integrated connectionby which the printer 10 can receive data for printing to the media andcan receive and/or transmit data that is being written to and/or readfrom the media, even if the data is provided in different protocols. Insome cases, the controller 46 can include a multiplexer that transmitsportions of the signal from the host computer 12 to a respective one ofthe devices 44, 50. Thus, a serial type communication between the hostcomputer 12 and the controller 46 can be used to communicate data forsimultaneous or generally contemporaneous printing and reading/writingoperations.

In addition, the printer 10 can be controlled by a single driversoftware program that is capable of controlling each of the printing andreading/writing operations of the printer 10. In this regard, FIG. 5schematically illustrates a display 60, such as a cathode ray tube orliquid crystal display in communication with the host computer 12. Thedisplay 60 can be used to graphically output information to the operator(and request input from the operator) regarding the host computer 12,the printer 10, and operations thereof. In particular, as illustrated inFIG. 5, the driver software program for controlling the printer 10 canprovide a graphical user interface on the display 60. The graphical userinterface can be used to communicate information relating to both theprinting and reading/writing operations of the printer 10. For example,the graphical user interface can provide a first submenu 62 forcontrolling the printing operation and a second submenu 64 forcontrolling the reading/writing operations. Each submenu 62, 64 canprovide features for accessing information relating to the status of therespective operation and for entering information for changing theoperation, e.g., for changing the text, graphics, colors, or the likethat are to be printed on the media, or for indicating to the hostcomputer 12 a change to the media type being used, the data to becommunicated to/from the media, and the like. In this regard, thesoftware can include instructions for inputting information from theoperation, e.g., using typical input devices such as a keyboard, mouse,touchpad, trackball, microphone, or the like. A third submenu 64 canalso be provided for accessing options relating to both of the printingand reading/writing operations, e.g., for verifying or changing thestatus or configuration of the printer 10 with the host computer 12,such as by adjusting aspects of the connection therebetween.

Other embodiments of the printer having an integrated interface arefurther disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0049253, which isassigned to the assignee of the present application and which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

Location of Communication Device(s) and Timing of CommunicationOperations

In one embodiment illustrated by FIG. 6, one or more electroniccommunication devices 44 are positioned proximate to the print head'sprintline 39. The printline 39 is the area where the print head 36prints indicia onto the card 18 or other media. In the illustratedembodiment, an electronic communication device 44 is positioned closeenough to the printline 39 so that the electronic communication device44 is capable of communicating with the media before or at the same timethat the print head 36 is printing on the media. By performing thecommunication operation before or simultaneously with the printingoperation, the throughput of the printer may be increased.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the communication device 44is placed directly opposite the print head 36. However, in someembodiments it is not necessary for the communication device 44 to beplaced directly opposite the print head 36 in order for the printer 10to allow for before or simultaneous printing and reading/writingoperations. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, where thecommunication device 44 is a contactless device, such as an RF coupler,the communication device 44 may create a communication field 45 thatextends beyond the immediate proximity of the communication device 44.Preferably, the communication device 44 is configured so that it cancommunicate with a card 18 disposed within a communication field 45 thathas an approximate diameter of two times the card length (i.e., one cardlength on each side of the print line 39).

As described above, the printer 10 may move the card 18 back and forthunder the print head 36 and along the conveyance path 20 in order toprint different colors on various areas of the card 18. Furthermore,different cards may have the contactless device, such as an RFID tag,located at different places on the card 18. A communication field 45that covers an area of the conveyance path 20 approximating two cardlengths (i.e., an area from about one card length before the printline39 to about one card length beyond the printline 39) would generallyallow the communication device 44 to communicate with an RFID tag (orother contactless data storage device) supported by the card 18regardless of where the tag was placed on the card 18 and regardless ofwhere the printer 10 moves the card 18 beneath the printline 39 duringprinting operations.

In another embodiment, it may also be preferred that the communicationfield 45 does not extend much beyond a card length on either side of theprint line as a communication field 45 that is too large risks mistakencommunication with upstream and downstream cards (e.g., the cardslocated in the input hopper 34 or the output hopper 35). In oneexemplary embodiment, the card 18 has dimensions of two inches by fourinches and the communication field 45 has dimensions of approximatelyfour inches by six inches. In another embodiment, card(s) that areawaiting subsequent printing/reading/writing may be staged or heldapproximately four inches upstream of the communication field 45.Similarly, card(s) that have recently been printed/read/written may bestaged or held approximately four inches downstream of the communicationfield 45.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart 100 illustrating various steps that a printer 10structured according to various embodiments of the present invention mayperform when simultaneously communicating with and printing to a card 18or other media. As represented by block 110, the printer 10 moves thecard 18 from the input hopper 34 along the conveyance path and toward aprint position. As soon as the contactless device on the card 18 entersthe communication field 45, the at least one of the contactlesscommunication devices 44 may begin wirelessly communicating with (e.g.,encoding, writing to, or reading from, etc.) the card 18, as representedby block 130. This communication may continue as the card 18 is printed,as represented by block 120. Once the card communication 130 andprinting 120 steps are completed, the card 18 can be sent along theconveyance path 20 to exit 26 and deposited into the output hopper 35.

In one embodiment, the printer is configured to confirm whether the cardcommunication step 130 (e.g., whether the card was properly encoded,etc.) and printing steps 120 were effective, as represented by block140. If the printer determines that such steps were effective, the card18 can then be sent to the output hopper 35. If the printer determinesthat these steps were not effective, then the card 18 may be sent to thereject tray 37, assuming that the selected printer model is equippedwith a reject tray, as represented by block 150. In other embodiments,the printer may use other methods or devices (e.g., error messages,etc.) to notify a user that the printing and/or communication steps wereineffective for a given card 18. The printer may also employ othermethods or devices to distinguish between cards in which the printingand communication steps properly occurred and cards in which such stepsdid not properly occur.

In other embodiments, the printer 10 may use a communication device 44to check whether a card has undergone effective printing andcommunication processes. For example, a communication device 44 may beconfigured to read data from an encoded RFID tag or a printed barcode onthe card 18 and compare such data to data that was expected to beassociated with the card 18. Such verification steps may occur at anyposition along the conveyance path. In one embodiment, the printer 10 isconfigured to use the same communication device 44 referenced above forcommunicating with the card at block 130 to check the effectiveness ofsuch communication at block 140. Although FIG. 7 depicts theverification steps 140, 145 as occurring after the printing step 120, inanother embodiment, the printer may be structured to perform suchverification during printing operations.

FIG. 8 illustrates a second process 200 whereby the printer 10simultaneously prints and communicates with a card 18 or other media,according to another embodiment of the invention. As represented byblock 210, the printer 10 moves a card 18 from the input hopper 34 alongthe conveyance path and toward a print position or region. Once thecontactless device on the card 18 enters the communication field 45, thecontactless communication device 44 may begin communicating with thecard 18, as represented by block 230. Such communication may continue asthe printer 10 prints the card 18, as represented by block 220.

As described above, card printers generally print in multiple passes foreach of at least three colors (e.g., yellow, cyan, and magenta).However, in the process illustrated by FIG. 8, before the print assemblybegins the last color pass (which is usually a dark color) the printerchecks whether the communication step 230 (e.g., encoding, reading,etc.) was effective, as represented by blocks 240 and 245. As describedabove with respect to FIG. 7, such a validation operation may beperformed as the printer is printing the first color passes or after theprinter has completed the first color passes. If the printer finishesprinting before the communication and validation steps are complete, theprinter will pause before printing the last color and wait for thevalidation step to indicate that the communication step was effective.If the printer determines that the communication step was effective, theprinter finishes printing the card, as illustrated by block 260, andthen transmits the card 18 along the conveyance path 20 to the exit 26where the card 18 is deposited into an output hopper 35. However, if theprinter determines through the validation step that the communicationstep was ineffective, the printer will use the last (usually dark) colorpass to print “void” or some other reject indicia, on the card 18, asrepresented by block 250. The printer 10 will then transmit the “voided”card to an exit of the printer, which may be an output hopper 35 or, insome embodiments, a reject tray 37.

FIG. 9 illustrates a third process 300 whereby the printer 10communicates with the card 18 prior to printing in accordance withanother embodiment of the invention. As represented by block 310, theprinter 10 moves a card 18 from the input hopper 34 along the conveyancepath into the communication field 45. As soon as the contactless storagedevice on the card 18 enters the communication field 45, the contactlesscommunication device 44 may begin communicating with the card 18, asrepresented by block 320. After this communication step, the printerconfirms whether the communication step was effective, as represented byblocks 330 and 335. As described above with respect to FIG. 7, such avalidation process may be performed by the communication device 44 thatwas responsible for the communication step or by another communicationdevice.

If the printer determines that the communication step was effective, theprinter prints the card, as illustrated by block 350, and then sends thecard 18 to the exit 26 of the printer, which may include an outputhopper 35, as illustrated by block 360. However, if the printerdetermines that the communication step was ineffective, the printer 10may not print the card 18 and could instead send the card 18 directly toan exit of the printer, which in some embodiments could include a rejecttray 37. If the printer does not have a reject tray 37, the printercould send the rejected card 18 to the output hopper 35 leaving a userto interpret that card's lack of printed indicia as an indication thatthe communication step was ineffective. In another embodiment, as notedabove, the printer may print “void” or other appropriate indicia to thecard indicating that the card was rejected.

A printer configured to operate as illustrated in FIG. 9 can save ink(and relatively expensive print ribbon) as compared to printersconfigured to simultaneously print and communicate with cards. Forexample, when the printing and communication steps are performedsimultaneously, cards that are rejected for failure of the communicationstep are still printed and any ink or ribbon used is wasted.Alternatively, the process illustrated by FIG. 9 allows thecommunication and validation steps to occur before printing. Therefore,rejected cards may be diverted before printing, while cards undergoingan effective communication step may proceed normally to the printingstep.

In embodiments whereby the printer is configured to performcommunication and validation steps before printing, the communicationdevice 44 may be physically located upstream from the printline 39 sothat a card 18 moving along the conveyance path 20 from the entrance 24to the exit 26 encounters the communication device 44 prior to theprintline 39. In another embodiment, the communication device 44 may belocated proximate the printline 39, as described above with respect toFIG. 6. In such embodiments, the printer controller may be logicallyconfigured to perform the communication and validation steps prior tobeginning print operations. Alternatively, the printer controller may belogically configured, perhaps through the host, to prompt a user toselect whether the printer 10 should operate in (1) a high-throughputmode, where the printing and communication/validation steps areconducted simultaneously (e.g., FIG. 7), or (2) an ink-saving mode,where the communication and validation steps are conducted prior toprinting operations (e.g., FIG. 9). The host 12 may provide the printercontroller with the user's selection or in other embodiments thisselection may be provided through a user input device associated withthe printer. In other embodiments, the printer may be configured toperform the communication step (e.g., encoding and/or validating thecard) without stopping the movement of the card through the printer,which increasing the output of the printer regardless on whether theprinting operation occurs simultaneously or after such operations.

Although the above Figures and the descriptions describe printerconfigurations whereby the printing and the contactless communicationsteps can be conducted simultaneously, other types of communication mayalso be conducted simultaneously according to embodiments of the presentinvention. For example, if a card 18 has a contact electronic storagedevice and a contactless electronic storage device, the printer 10 maybe configured such that the contact communication device is locatedwithin the communication field 45 of a contactless communication device.In this way, the printer can simultaneously communicate with any contactand contactless storage devices supported by the card 18.

Therefore, as described above, in one embodiment the printer 10 can beconfigured so that at least one communication step is conducted by theprinter 10 in parallel with at least one other communication or printingstep. As also described above, according to one embodiment, the printer10 may be configured to have a single interface with a host device 12.FIG. 10 illustrates a particular embodiment of the present inventionwhereby a printer 420 is configured to include a single interface 430with a host device 12 and is also configured to perform a communicationstep in parallel with at least one printing or second communicationstep. In particular, the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 10 shows an RFIDencoding operation conducted in parallel with a printing operation asdescribed in greater detail below.

Referring to FIG. 10, host 12 communicates with the printer 420 throughcommunication interface 410 and printer interface 430. As describedabove, the printer interface 430 is a single integrated I/O interfacefor allowing communication between the host 12 and the various printdevices and communication devices that may be present in the printer420. The communication interface 410 may comprise a single wire or datacommunication cable. In one embodiment, the communication interface 410is wireless and permits wireless communication between the host 12 andthe printer interface 430 using wireless transmitter/receiver devicesthat will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view ofthis disclosure.

In one embodiment, the host 12 communicates to the printer 420 throughthe printer interface 430 to instruct the printer 420 to move the card18 into proper position for a contact programmer 440 to program orotherwise communicate with a contact electronic storage device supportedby the card or other media. The host 12 communicates with the contactprogrammer 440 via the printer interface 430 and instructs the contactprogrammer 440 to program the card with the data provided by the host400 (the data also being provided via the printer interface 430).

The printer 420 may then move the card 18 into position for simultaneousprinting by the print assembly 450 and communication by the RFIDprogrammer 460. The information that is printed to the card 18 and theinformation that is written to or read from the RFID tag (or other datastorage device) on the card 18 may be derived from data received fromthe host 12 via the integrated printer interface 430.

The printer may then move the card 18 into position for magneticcommunication by the magnetic encoder 470. The information written to amagnetic strip on the card 18 may be derived from data provided to themagnetic encoder 470 from the host 12 via the integrated printerinterface 430. Finally, the completed card 18 or other media may beejected by the printer 420.

Throughout the process, the printer 420 and/or the individual componentsof the printer 420 may communicate back to the host 400 via the printerinterface 430 and the communication interface 410 in order to providefeedback related to the printing or communication processes.

Post-Encoding Validation of Smart Card Data

As described in some detail above in relation to FIGS. 7-9, variousembodiments of the present invention provide a process whereby datawritten to or otherwise included on a card or in a data storage devicesupported by a smart card or other media is validated. For example,after the print head prints data to a card or after a communicationdevice 44 communicates data to or from a card or other media (e.g.,after a communication device 44 encodes a card 18 with data) the printermay check the data in order to determine whether the data waseffectively printed and/or communicated. The communication device 44 maybe configured to validate the printed or communicated data immediatelyafter the printer or the communication device 44 prints to orcommunicates with the card 18. For example, where the communicationdevice 44 is an RFID transceiver, the RFID communication device 44 maybe configured to encode data to the card 18 when the card 18 is in thecommunication field 45. In one embodiment, after the RFID communicationdevice 44 encodes data to the RFID tag on the card 18 and before thecard 18 leaves the communication field 45, the same RFID communicationdevice 44 reads the encoded data from the card's RFID tag and comparesit to stored data that was intended for encoding. If the read datamatches the data that was supposed to be encoded, the printer 10 permitsthe card 18 to proceed to the next station in the printer 10 (e.g., sendthe card to the output hopper 35 if there are no other stations). Theprinter 10 may also communicate a signal to the host 12 indicating thatthe print/communication step was effective or that a card 18 waseffectively printed or communicated with. If the read data does notmatch the data that was supposed to be encoded, the printer may rejectthe card. In one embodiment, if the data has not been communicatedeffectively, the printer instructs the communication device to try tocommunicate with the card again, if such is possible. In someembodiments, the printer sends the rejected card to a reject tray 37and/or prints “void” or some other rejection indication on the card 18,as described above. If a card 18 is rejected, the printer 10 may send asignal to the host device 12 indicating that a card 18 was rejectedand/or may send data pertaining to why the card was rejected.Alternatively, in one embodiment, the printer may simply not communicateanything to the host device and may try to print on and communicate withthe next card in place of the rejected card. If the next card also isnot printed or communicated with effectively, the printer may then sendan error signal to the host 12.

Authentication of Media and Automatic Printer Configuration

In one embodiment, the printer 10 may include a system forauthenticating a consumable and/or a system for automaticallyconfiguring the printer 10. The authentication system may be used todetermine whether a printer consumable, such as a resin thermal transferribbon or a roll of smart media, is an “allowed” consumable that issupported by the printer 10. Similar descriptions of such authenticationsystems are further disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No.2006/0191022, which is assigned to the assignee of the presentapplication and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

In one embodiment, a RFID transponder (also referred to as a RFID “tag”)is provided on or otherwise associated with a printer consumable.Although an RFID transponder is described, the transponder need not belimited to radio frequency signals, and may utilize any form of suitableelectromagnetic radiation, such as visible, ultraviolet and infra-redlight, as is known in the art. In one embodiment, the RFID transpondercontains a unique, factory-programmed serial number. Certaincommercially available RFID transponders each contain a unique 32 to64-bit transponder serial identification number used in the“anti-collision” protocol. This protocol enables separation and uniqueidentification of several transponders simultaneously appearing in thefield of the RFID reader, which may be caused by multiple host devicesbeing located in relatively close proximity.

In one embodiment, an authentication number is calculated from theunique serial number using an encryption function selected by andconfidential to the manufacturer of the printer consumable. Theauthentication number is permanently stored on the RFID transponder. Theencryption function is made available to the printer 10 and/or host 12during operation thereof. For example, in one embodiment, theconfidential encryption function can be programmed into the printer 10during manufacture. In another embodiment, the confidential encryptionfunction is made available to the host 12 over a network. When theprinter consumable is loaded into the printer 10, an RF transceiver inthe printer reads the values of the serial number and the authenticationnumber from the RFID transponder attached to or on the consumable. Itthen determines whether the authentication number matches the serialnumber as transformed by the confidential encryption function. If thevalues agree, then the ribbon cartridge consumable article is deemed tobe an authentic media product that is useable on that printer.

Similarly, an RFID transponder on the media can be used to automaticallyconfigure some aspect of the printer 10 or to send data pertaining tothe media to the host 12. For example, if a web of smart labels intendedfor printing and encoding is loaded into the printer, a transponder onthe roll of smart labels may indicate to the printer 10 and/or to thehost 12 information related to the media, such as the type of label, thetype of electronic media attached to the label, the size of the labels,the number of labels on the roll, the distance between the labels on theweb, etc. The printer 10 may use such information to automaticallyconfigure itself to print and/or communicate with the media. Suchinformation may be stored as data on the RFID transponder or may becommunicated indirectly through a serial number unique to the type ofmedia roll. The printer 10 and/or the host 12 may be configured torecognize this serial number and, thus, access files related to themedia that are stored within or otherwise available to the printer 10 orhost 12.

In one embodiment, the transponder for authenticating the consumableand/or configuring the printer is located on a portion of the consumablepackaging. In other embodiments, the transponder is located on theconsumable itself. For example, in one embodiment, where the consumableis, for example, a roll of ink ribbon or a roll of labels, thetransponder may be attached to the core of the roll. In such anembodiment, the transceiver for reading the transponder may be locatedin the spindle that holds the core of the roll in the printer.

In another embodiment, where the consumable is, for example, a roll ofsmart labels or a stack of smart cards, the information forauthenticating the media and/or configuring the printer may be stored inthe transponder memory of one of more of the smart labels or cards. Thistransponder memory may be that which is intended to receive additionalinformation (e.g., through encoding) from the printer or the smart mediamay comprise two or more transponders, with one transponder memorydedicated to carrying authentication data and/or printer set-up orconfiguration information.

In another embodiment, only the first label on a roll of labels or thefirst card in a stack of cards 18 may contain a transponder (or otherdata storage device) having authentication data and/or printer set-up orconfiguration information stored therein. In such an embodiment, thecommunication device 44 used to encode or otherwise communicate with atransponder (or other storage device) associated with the media may alsobe used to read the authentication, printer set-up, or configurationdata stored in one or more of the transponders. Such embodiments mayrequire only one communication device 44 for reading authentication,set-up, or configuration data from a transponder and for writing data tosuch a device. As described above, a printer may also be structured sothat the same communication device is also used for verifying effectivecommunication between the printer and the transponder or other datastorage device.

In another embodiment, the printer 10 may include a separatecommunication device 44 that is dedicated exclusively to readingauthentication, set-up or configuration information from the transponderor other data storage device. Such a communication device 44 may belocated along the conveyance path 20 generally before a print position.

Contactless communication devices (whether for authentication, printerset-up retrieval or otherwise) structured in accordance with variousembodiments of the present invention may use UHF RFID transceivers andtransponders or HF RFID transceivers and transponders. Other wirelesscommunication devices may also be used as noted above.

Antenna-Coupler for UHF RFID Communication Devices

As described above, in some embodiments one or more of the communicationdevices 44 may comprise an RFID transceiver for communicating with RFIDtransponders supported by smart cards 18 or other media. In variousembodiments, the RFID transceiver may be configured to generate andtransmit RF communication signals via an antenna-coupler, for example aUHF antenna-coupler 1000, (shown in FIG. 11) that is located proximatethe conveyance path 20, for example as illustrated in FIG. 6. Forpurposes of the present specification, the transceiver and theantenna-coupler 1000 may be referred to collectively as forming at leastpart of an RFID communication device 44. As will be explained in moredetail below, the RFID communication device 44 transmits anelectromagnetic signal for establishing, at predetermined transceiverpower levels, a mutual coupling between the transceiver and a targetedtransponder of a media unit (e.g., a card 18) located in thecommunication field, such that data may be read from and written to thetransponder.

In general, the transceiver is a device configured to generate,transmit, process, and receive electrical communication signals andgenerally share the same hardware for transmitting and receivingpurposes. It is understood that similar devices such as readers,transmitters, receivers, or transmitter-receivers may be used withinthis invention. “Transceiver” as used in the present application refersto the devices noted above and to any device capable of generating,processing, or receiving electrical and/or electromagnetic signals.

In general, the antenna-coupler receives and transmits electromagneticfields based on the electrical signals generated by the transceiver orthe transponder. To transmit signals, the antenna-coupler converts theelectrical signals generated by the transceiver or the transponder toelectromagnetic signals and, to receive signals, the antenna-couplerconverts electromagnetic signals to electrical signals. Theelectromagnetic fields serve to couple the transceiver and thetransponder. Moreover in the case of a passive transponder, theelectromagnetic fields of the antenna-coupler energizes the transponderand thereby prompts the transponder to respond to the transceiver byre-radiating the received signal back and modulating the fields in awell-known technique called backscattering. In the case of an activetransponder, the transponder may respond to the electro-magnetic fieldsby transmitting an independently powered reply signal to the transceiverthrough the coupler.

Problems can occur when communicating with multiple adjacenttransponders regardless on whether the transponders are passively oractively powered. For example, the electro-magnetic fields propagatingfrom the coupler, also referred to as an interrogating electromagneticsignal, may activate more than one transponder at a given time. Thissimultaneous activation of multiple transponders may lead to collisionor communication (i.e. read and write) errors because each of themultiple transponders may transmit reply signals to the transceiver atthe same time.

The printer 10 may employ an RF-shielded housing or anechoic chamber forshielding the adjacent and non-targeted transponders from theelectromagnetic field. In various embodiments, transponders individuallypass though a shielded housing that defines a transponder encodingregion for individualized exposure to an interrogating electromagneticfield.

However, in other embodiments the antenna-coupler may be adapted to havea controlled transmission range that can be limited to minimize theinadvertent activation of transponders outside a transponder encodingregion. As such, the antenna-coupler may operate with little to noanti-collision management techniques or shielding components. Thestructure and shape of the antenna-coupler may vary and, in oneembodiment, the antenna-coupler is generally configured to propagate anelectromagnetic signal having a weak far field component and a strongnear field component, wherein the far field component is too weak toactivate or communicate with any of the transponders and the near fieldcomponent is concentrated mostly in the transponder encoding region suchthat it only activates or communicates with the transponders in thetransponder encoding region.

Examples of such antenna-couplers are further disclosed in U.S. PatentApplication Publication Nos. 2005/0045723 and 2005/0045724, and U.S.application Ser. Nos. 11/263,093 and 11/371,785, each of which isassigned to the assignee of the present application, and the contents ofeach of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIGS. 11 a and 11 b illustrate yet another antenna-coupler 1000employable within embodiments of the present invention. According to theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 a and 11 b, the antenna-coupler 1000includes a first microstrip 1002 and a second microstrip 1004. Themicrostrip 1002, 1004 are generally orthogonal to each other andgenerally centered relative to one another forming a cross-like shape.More specifically, as used herein “cross-like shape” defines a spatialrelationship between the two microstrips 1002, 1004 in which the firstmicrostrip 1002 traverses the second microstrip 1004. The angle andpoint at which the first microstrip 1002 traverses the second microstrip1004 may vary. In the illustrated embodiments, the first microstrip 1002traverses the second microstrip 1004 at approximately ninety degrees andat approximately the center of the second microstrip 1004. Moreover, inthe illustrated embodiments, approximately the center of the firstmicrostrip 1002 traverses the second microstrip 1004. In otherembodiments, the angle of traverse may vary between forty-five degreesand one hundred and thirty five degrees. And any point of the firstmicrostrip 1002 between a first end and a second end of the firstmicrostrip 1002 may traverse the second microstrip 1004 at any pointbetween the first and second ends of the second microstrip 1004. Also,according to the embodiment of FIGS. 11 a and 11 b, the microstrips1002, 1004 are disposed on separate but parallel planes and separatedfrom one another by a substrate material 1006.

The first microstrip 1002 extends from a first end to a second end anddefines a length. The first end is connected to a first port 1008 (alsoreferred to herein as port-1) of the antenna-coupler and the second endis terminated by a first resistive load 1010. Similarly, the secondmicrostrip 1004 extends from a first end to a second end and defines alength. The first end is connected to a second port 1012 (also referredto herein as port-2) of the antenna-coupler and the second end isterminated by a second resistive load 1014. Each of the resistive loads1010, 1014 is connected to a ground layer 1016 that is generallyparallel to the microstrips 1002, 1004 and spaced apart from themicrostrip 1002, 1004 by the substrate material 1006.

In order to increase the energy transfer efficiency between theantenna-coupler 1000 and a transponder, the resistive load 1010, 1014for each microstrip may be higher than the characteristic impedancedefined by each of the microstrips 1002, 1004. This may in turn generatea standing wave and increase the electrical field strength along each ofthe microstrips 1002, 1004. Also, in order to avoid an impedancemismatch between the microstrips 1002, 1004 and the transceiver, thelength of each of the microstrips 1002, 1004 may be substantially equalto a multiple of one half the wavelength of the operational frequency(i.e., the length may substantially equal N*λ/2, wherein N may equal 1,2, 3, 4, 5, . . . ). In other words, by setting the length of amicrostrip to a multiple of one half the wavelength of the operationalfrequency, the load impedance of the antenna-coupler is substantiallymatched to the port impedance regardless of the characteristic impedanceof the microstrip.

In general, the lower the characteristic impedance of the microstrips1002, 1004, the wider the microstrips 1002, 1004 and the narrower thebandwidth of the antenna-coupler 1000. To enlarge the bandwidth anddecrease the length (i.e., the distance from the first end to the secondend) of the microstrips 1002, 1004, a non-uniform or a varying widthprofile for the microstrips may be used, as further described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/371,785, which is owned by the presentassignee and is incorporated herein in its entirety. For example,according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 a and 11 b, each ofthe microstrips 1002, 1004 may have a bow-tie profile. Other examplesinclude exponential, Klopfenstein, triangular, Hecken, or other taperedprofiles. Among other things, the tapered profiles allow for theminiaturization of the antenna-coupler. In addition to or instead oftapered profiles, the antenna-coupler may be further miniaturized byusing a substrate material with a relatively high permittivity, forexample, Rogers R3006: ε=6, or R3010: ε=10, or other material substrateswith ε>20.

The transponder in the smart card may have various orientations relativeto the feed direction such as landscape, as shown in FIGS. 12 a , c, e,and g, and portrait, as shown in FIGS. 12 b, d, f, and h. A landscapeorientation is generally when the length of the transponder is parallelto the media or card feed direction. A portrait is generally when thelength of the transponder is perpendicular to the feed direction.

In addition to the orientation between the transponder and the feeddirection, the orientation of the transponder to the antenna-coupler mayvary as the transponder moves across the antenna-coupler. For example,the transponder may move across the antenna-coupler such that the lengthof the transponder travels along the length of a conductive strip of thecoupler in a parallel manner, referred to as “lateral movement.” Asanother example, the transponder may move across the antenna-couplersuch that the length of the transponder travels across the length of theconductive strip at a generally perpendicular angle in a parallelmanner, referred to as a “cross-wise movement.”

Many transponders include a dipole antenna structure, referred to as adipole type transponder. In some embodiments, for optimum coupling witha dipole type transponder, the antenna-coupler should be arranged for amutual lateral movement, i.e. the opposite ends of the dipole should beexposed to a phase differential as the dipole passes through theelectromagnetic fields.

The two microstrips conductors 1002, 1004 forming a general cross-shapeallows for the antenna-coupler 1000 to accommodate various transponderorientations to the feed direction and transponder orientations to theantenna-coupler as illustrate in FIGS. 13 a and 13 b. For example, bothmicrostrips can be fed by the transceiver's signal in phasesimultaneously and one port at a time can be activated by a switchdepending on the transponder orientation to the antenna-coupler such aslateral movement or cross-wise movement. As another example, fortransponder orientations to the antenna-coupler between the lateral andcross-wise movements, port-1 and port-2 can be fed using a phase shifterdepending on the orientation of the transponder such that the twomicrostrips create a phase differential between the two microstrips forcoupling with the transponder. As yet another example and as illustratedin FIGS. 16 a, 16 b, 17 a, and 17 b, both of the microstrips 2002, 2004may be activated simultaneously through one port 2008. In other words,both microstrips may be receiving or directing an electrical signal fromor to the transceiver.

Referring again to the embodiment in FIGS. 16 a, 16 b, 17 a, and 17 b,rather than the two microstrips being in separate and parallel planes asdiscussed above, the two microstrips 2002, 2004 may be substantiallyco-planar. As illustrated, one of the microstrips 2002 may include abridge 2020 to avoid the two microstrips 2002, 2004 from physicallyintersecting at the center. For example, the first microstrip 2002 mayhave two sections 2012, 2014. The first section 2012 may extend from thefirst end of the first microstrip 2002 to approximately the secondmicrostrip 2004. The second section 2014 may extend from approximatelythe second microstrip 2004 to the second end of the first microstrip2008. The two sections 2012, 2014 may be linked through a bridge 2020that extends around the second microstrip 2004 such that the first andsecond microstrips 2002, 2004 do not intersect (i.e., the first andsecond microstrips 2002, 2004 do not have a common point) even thoughthe two microstrips 2002, 2004 are in a cross-like configuration. Thebridge 2020 may include a jumper wire and/or one or more traces. Also,as mentioned above, in this embodiment, the antenna-coupler 2000 mayhave one port that leads to both the first and second microstrip suchthat both the first and second microstrips may be activatedsimultaneously or concurrently. Each of the microstrips 2002, 2004 maybe terminated by a resistive load 2010, 2014 and be spaced apart from aground plane 2016 separated by a substrate 2006.

The antenna-coupler herein is described in context with aprinter-encoder configured to process UHF RFID smart cards. However, theapplication of the antenna-coupler described herein is not limited toprinter-encoder for UHF RFID smart cards and may be applied to otherRFID enabled encoders or systems that may benefit from the ability toselectively communicate with a randomly oriented targeted transponderdisposed among multiple adjacent transponders.

XML Communication Between the Host and the Printer

In one embodiment of the present invention, the printer 10 is configuredto print and/or encode the media based on an extensible markup language(XML) input data stream. In one embodiment, the printer 10 is configuredto communicate with the host 12 using XML. Examples of printer systemsconfigured with XML systems are further disclosed in U.S. PatentApplication Publication Nos. 2006/0138227, 2005/0150953, 2004/0149826,2004/0094632 and 2003/0136841, each of which is assigned to the assigneeof the present application, and the contents of each of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 14 illustrates a specific embodiment of a high-level system blockdiagram. The system illustrated in the figure and described below may beexecuted by the processor of the host 12. Again, the processor of thehost 12 may perform functions common to both the host computer 12 andthe printer 10. There may be one or more processors, which may functionin concert or which may function separately. It is not material to thescope of this invention whether the processing or processing functionsare performed by or in the host 12 or by or in the printer 10.

The XML system includes an XML processor 1170 (also referred to as the“XML parser”), an XSLT 1174 (extensible stylesheet languagetransformation) processor, an XSLFO 1178 (extensible stylesheet languageformatting object) processor, a bit map/barcode/RFID rendering engine1180, an RFID transceiver 1161, and the printer driver 1154. Note thatalthough the figure and the following description describe the XMLsystem with relation to printing a barcode or encoding an RFIDtransponder, the same system can be used for encoding other types ofstorage devices and for printing other human-readable ormachine-readable indicia.

Also note that the printer driver 1154 is an example of a componentwhose function may be performed by either the processing device in thecomputer system 12 or the processing device in the printer system 10,depending upon the physical location of the associated processingdevice. A single processing device, if sufficiently powerful, may handleall functions for the XML system.

An XML schema repository 1182 (schema repository) may provide input tothe XML processor 1170 while an XSLT stylesheet repository 1184(stylesheet repository) may provide input to the XSLT processor 1174.The system may also include an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system1188, which may be, for example, a warehouse management system thattransmits an XML input data stream 1144 to the XML processor 1170. TheERP system 1188 may initiate the request to print the barcode label orencode the RFID data into the RFID transponder 1162, and may provide theXML data that forms the bar code, RFID encoded data, and other variablelabel or element fields to be printed or encoded. Such variable labelfields may include, for example, any or all of the human-readable textand/or characters printed on the label.

When referring to the XML data, two basic types shall be referred toherein, namely, the XML value data and the XML element name. The XMLvalue data is the changeable data or the data that is desired to beprinted on the barcode label or encoded into the RFID transponder, suchas the data “1122 Green Street,” which may be part of the XML value datacorresponding to, for example, a shipping address. The XML element namesare part of the XML language semantics where an arbitrary label orelement name may be selected to represent the XML value data, the use ofwhich is defined by the XML language. Typically, the element namesappear between angled bracket (“<element name>”).

Known barcode label and other automatic identification systems often useproprietary software encoding schemes. Additionally, such schemes areoften prone to errors, and the underlying value data is usuallyunreadable by a non-technical individual. In known systems, if an errorexists in the underlying value data sent from the enterprise system, orif the data is missing or otherwise incorrect, the barcode system willprint or encode what it is instructed to do, which of course, producesan error in the barcode label or RFID transponder, rendering itinaccurate or useless.

Moreover, when dealing with compliance labeling, known systems requirenon-trivial changes in the data encoding when the form or content of thelabel changes in accordance with the compliance label demands. Suchchanges in the form or content of the barcode or RFID transponder,again, are susceptible to errors. Business relationships may also bedamaged by continued problems in the barcode labeling system or the RFIDencoding system.

Embodiments of the present XML system utilize an open format. Inparticular, the formatting requirements and the form of the barcodelabel or RFID transceiver are all defined in the XML language. Moreover,not only is XML well defined and available for all to use, butnon-programmers can understand the data and commands in an XML datastream or file (or hard copy) with minimal training.

Various XML system components are commercially available. Severaldifferent commercially available XML processors 1170 may be usedinterchangeably or with little modification. For example, the followingcommercially available XML processors may be used: “XML for C++”available from IBM Corporation, “MSXML3” available from MicrosoftCorporation, “Oracle XML Developers Kit for C” available from OracleCorporation, “Expat” available from Thai Open Source Software Center,Ltd., or “Xerces-C++” available from the Apache Software Foundation.However, any suitable XML processor may be used.

Similarly, several different commercially available XSLT processors 1174may be used interchangeably or with little modification. For example,the following XSLT processors may be used: “iXSLT” available fromInfoteria Corporation, “MSXML3” available from Microsoft Corporation,and “Libxslt” available from Gnome. However, any suitable XSLT processormay be used.

Again, several different commercially available XSLFO processors 1178may be used interchangeably or with little modification. For example,the following XSLFO processors may be used: “XEP” available from RenderXCorporation, “XSL Formatter” available from Antenna House Corporation,and “FOP” available from the Apache Software Foundation. However, anysuitable XSLFO processor may be used.

The XML processor 1170 receives the XML input data stream 1144 from anexternal source. For example, as described above, the external sourcemay be the ERP system 1188, such as the warehouse management system. TheXML processor 1170 essentially parses and processes the XML input datastream 1144 and generates a set of nodes, which may be in a “tree”structure, as is known in the art. Each of the system processors acts onthe nodes of the “tree” to perform their required function. Theunderlying value data contained in the XML input data stream from theERP system is processed and entered into a “label values node tree,”which holds the data.

The following is a brief overview of the operation of the various systemcomponents. First, note that the XML input data stream 1144 includestext that identifies the name and location of other required XMLdocuments or files. One such document is referred to as “XML schema” or“schema” 1182. The schema 1182 is used to validate the XML input datastream 1144, including the underlying value data. If validation issuccessful, a stylesheet 1184 is applied, as will be described below.The name and location of the stylesheet 1184 is also specified in theXML input data stream 1144. Application of the stylesheet is handled bythe XSLT processor 1174, which under the direction of the stylesheet1184, may transform the underlying XML element names and/or underlyingvalue data. Next, the data is processed by the XSLFO processor 1178,which handles formatting and “layout” of the underlying value data,which may include, for example, formatting the underlying value data inaccordance with, for example, font type, font size, color, and the like.Next, the underlying value data is processed by the bitmap/barcode/RFIDrendering engine 1180, which creates a bitmap of the barcode label orthe programming code sequence for the RFID transponder corresponding tothe transformed and formatted data. The rendering engine 1180 mayutilize an “instream foreign object” residing in the stylesheet todirect creation of the bitmap. The bitmap is then sent to the printerdriver 1154 for subsequent printing of the barcode label by the barcodeprinter or to the RFID transceiver 1161 for encoding into the RFIDtransponder 1162.

As described above, the schema 1182 functions to validate the entireinput data stream, in particular, the underlying value data, whereerrors may be typically found. In practice, errors are ofteninadvertently introduced when changes are made to the form or content ofthe bar code label.

The name and location of the schema document 1182 is contained in theXML input data stream 1144, which XML input data stream corresponds tothe request to print and/or encode a barcode label. The XML processor1170 in conjunction with a schema validation module 1179 validates theunderlying value data. The use of schema 1182 is cost effective becauseit prevents errors and omissions with respect to the final output,namely, the bar code label, or “shipping label,” or RFID tag ortransponder.

If the XML input data stream 1144 is rejected or flagged as having anerror, an error message may be transmitted back to the source. This mayflag or trigger human intervention to correct the error. For example, inone specific example, the source is an ERP system 1188. In this way, thedata is initially checked prior to processing to insure that it complieswith all required label and barcode rules.

This may be particularly beneficial when dealing with compliancelabeling. In known systems, the compliance demander would merely notifythe supplier as to the changes in the compliance labeling requirements.If the supplier then makes an error in interpreting or implementingthese changes or instructions, the labels produced or RFID transpondersencoded and applied to products shipped to the compliance demander mayhave errors, which could jeopardize future business or cause monetaryfines to be applied.

In the present invention, the compliance demander preferably makes thechanges directly to the schema 1182 and/or the XSLT stylesheet 1184. Forexample, if the physical layout of the label has been changed or ifelement names have been changed, the compliance demander will modify theXSLT stylesheet 1184. Similarly, if the underlying value data has beenadded or deleted or otherwise qualified (i.e., a new acceptablenumerical range for a zip code), the compliance demander may modify theschema 1182. In this way, the supplier need only modify the output ofits ERP system 1188 to ensure that it matches the modified XML inputdata stream 1144. If only the physical layout of the label has changed,the supplier does not need to make any modifications at all.

For example, the compliance demander may now require that a nine digitzip code be used rather than the original five digit zip code.Accordingly, the compliance demander may modify the schema 1182 torequire both a first and second zip code field, and the second fieldwill also be limited to numerical digits within a certain range, perhaps0000-9999. The compliance demander may also modify the stylesheet 1184to accommodate that change. In response thereto, the supplier mustinsert the added zip code field in its ERP system 1188 so that itappears in the XML input data stream 1144 sent to the XML system. Ifsuch modification of the XML input data stream 1144 is not performedcorrectly, the schema 1182 will cause an error to be reported back tothe ERP system 1188, and the label will not be printed or the RFIDtransponder 1162 will not be encoded.

Thus, the supplier need only access the modified schema 1182 and/orstylesheet 1184 from the repository, which is automatically applied tothe underlying value data when received. Essentially, minor changes, andsignificantly, major changes, to the form and content of the barcodelabel or RFID transponder are transparent to the supplier, and suchchanges to the content of the barcode label or RFID transponder arevalidated in accordance with the schema 1182. Accordingly, the supplierneed not incur costs to change the form or content of the barcode labelor RFID transponder dictated by the compliance demander, and cannot makeany errors in implementing such changes.

The schema documents 1182 are preferably obtained from a XML schemarepository. In one specific embodiment, the schema repository may beexternal to the XML system and the host 12, and may be accessed via thenetwork, the Internet, or via any suitable network to which the hostcomputer 12 is coupled. The schema repository may contain a plurality ofschema documents. Thus, the XML input data streams 1144 representing thevarious requests to create a barcode label or RFID transponder may eachspecify the name and location of the corresponding schema 1182 in therepository. When the request is received by the XML processor 1170, thecorresponding schema 1182 may be retrieved from the schema repository.

In another embodiment, the schema 1182 obtained from the schemarepository via the network may be kept locally, and thus may temporarilyreside in a memory subsystem of the host 12 or printer 10, such as ahard disk or a database. In this way, if the same schema 1182 is usedfor multiple XML input data streams 1144 or for subsequent barcode labelor RFID tag requests, the XML processor 1170 need not retrieve the sameschema 1182 externally via the network, but rather, may retrieve thatschema 1182 from the memory subsystem, which may be more efficient.According to this embodiment, the compliance demander may change ormodify the schema 1182 in an external repository at only certain times.For example, the compliance demander may change the schema 1182 only at1:00 AM each day. Thus, the supplier need only update the schema 1182from the repository into the memory subsystem only once per day, forexample, after the compliance demander has performed the schema update.The supplier would then know that the schema saved temporarily in thememory subsystem is the most recent schema document, at least up untilthe time that the updating is scheduled to occur. Regardless of thelocation from where the schema 1182 is obtained, the schema validationmodule performs the checking and validation of the underlying data.

Of course, the stylesheet 1184 is also an XML document, and thus it isalso processed by the XML processor 1174. Accordingly, the result of theprocessing of the stylesheet is an XSLT stylesheet node tree, which isthe “memory representation” or working model of the stylesheet that wasprocessed. The XSLT stylesheet node tree may be in the form of a“document object model” (DOM), as is known in the art. Further, the XSLTstylesheet node tree may reside in cache memory for efficiency. The XSLTprocessor operates on the data in the XSLT stylesheet node tree toperform its function of transforming the underlying value data orunderlying element names in accordance with the stylesheet.

The XSLT processor 1174 may modify, reposition, and rearrange theunderlying value data or may add to the underlying value data or deletesome of the underlying value data. For example, under direction of thestylesheet 1184, the underlying value data may be rearranged into tableformat or into columns. In particular, the stylesheet 1184 may add XSLFOformatting elements and attributes.

After the underlying value data in the label value node tree has beenprocessed in accordance with the corresponding stylesheet 1184, an XSLFOinstance node tree is produced. Again, the XSLFO instance node tree maybe in the form of a document object module, as is known in the art. TheXSLFO instance node tree contains XSLFO commands (layout instructions)that directs the XSLFO processor 1178 with respect to formatting andlayout. The XSLFO processor 1178 then interprets the XSLFO commands andapplies such commands to the underlying value data so as to properlyformat and layout the underlying value data. The XSLFO processor 1178produces the XSLFO area node tree, which represents the final output offormatting before rendering.

The XSFLO area node tree is then passed to the bitmap/barcode/RFIDrendering block 1180 where it is interpreted to direct creation of thebitmap 1192 of the barcode label or the programming code sequence forthe RFID transponder corresponding to the transformed and formatted datafrom the XML input data stream 1144. This bitmap or programming codesequence is then sent to either the printer driver 1154 or the RFIDtransceiver 1161 as the case may be.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theinvention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1. A system for selectively communicating with a randomly orientedtargeted transponder from among a group of multiple adjacenttransponders, the system comprising: a transponder conveyance adapted totransport at least one targeted transponder from a group of multipleadjacent transponders through a transponder operating region; atransceiver configured to generate one or more electrical signals; anantenna-coupler having first and second microstrips in a cross-likearrangement relative to each other and wherein, each of the first andsecond microstrips is configured to transmit one or more electromagneticfields concentrated in a near-field region of the antenna-coupler basedon the one or more electrical signals for communicating with therandomly oriented targeted transponder.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the antenna-coupler includes a first port in communication withboth of the first and second microstrips such that both of the first andsecond microstrips receive the one or more electrical signalsconcurrently.
 3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a switch forsending the one or more electrical signals from the transceiver toeither one of the first and second microstrips or both.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the first and second microstrips are spaced apart andseparated by at least one substrate.
 5. The system of claim 1, whereinthe first and second microstrips are substantially co-planer and thefirst microstrip further includes a first section, a second section, anda bridge; wherein the first section extends from a first end of thefirst microstrip to approximately the second microstrip, the secondsection extends from approximately the second microstrip to a second endof the first microstrip, and the first and second sections are linkedthrough the bridge that extends around the second microstrip such thatthe first and second microstrips do not intersect.
 6. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the antenna-coupler further includes a first resistiveload for terminating the first microstrip and a second resistive loadfor terminating the second microstrip, and wherein the first microstripdefines a characteristic impedance less than the first resistive loadand the second microstrip defines a characteristic impedance less thanthe second resistive load.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of thefirst and second microstrips has a tapered profile.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein each of the first and second microstrips defines alength substantially equal to a multiple of one half a wavelength of anoperational frequency of the antenna-coupler.
 9. The system of claim 1,wherein the operational frequency of the antenna-coupler is selectedfrom a range of frequencies from 300 MHz to 3 GHz.
 10. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the operational frequency of the antenna-coupler isselected from a range of frequencies from 860 MHz to 960 GHz.
 11. Anantenna-coupler for a system having a transceiver and being configuredto process one or more smart media and associated transponders of thesmart media, the antenna-coupler comprising: a first microstripextending from a first end to a second end, wherein the second end isterminated by a first resistive load and the first end is incommunication with the transceiver for receiving and sending one or moreelectrical signals; a second microstrip extending from a first end to asecond end, wherein the second end is terminated by a second resistiveload and the first end is in communication with the transceiver forreceiving and sending one or more electrical signal; wherein the firstmicrostrip and the second microstrip are generally orthogonal to eachother forming a cross-like arrangement; a ground plane spaced apart fromthe first and second microstrip; and at least one substrate extending atleast partially between the ground plane and the first and secondmicrostrips.
 12. The antenna-coupler according to claim 11, wherein thefirst and second microstrips are spaced apart and separated by the atleast one substrate.
 13. The antenna-coupler according to claim 12,wherein the first and second microstrips are substantially co-planer andthe first microstrip further includes a first section, a second section,and a bridge; wherein the first section extends from the first end ofthe first microstrip to approximately the second microstrip, the secondsection extends from approximately the second microstrip to the secondend of the first microstrip, and the first and second sections arelinked through the bridge that extends around the second microstrip suchthat the first and second microstrips do not intersect.
 14. Theantenna-coupler according to claim 13, wherein the jumper includes atleast a jumper wire.
 15. The antenna-coupler according to claim 13,further comprising an input port for connecting both the first end ofthe first microstrip and the first end of the second microstrip to thetransceiver.
 16. The antenna-coupler according to claim 11, furthercomprising a first input port for connecting the first end of the firstmicrostrip to the transceiver and a second input port for connecting thefirst end of the second microstrip to the transceiver.
 17. Theantenna-coupler according to claim 11, wherein each of the first andsecond microstrips define a characteristic impedance and wherein thefirst resistive load is greater than the characteristic impedance of thefirst microstrip and the second resistive load is greater than thecharacteristic impedance of the second microstrip.
 18. Theantenna-coupler according to claim 17, wherein each of the first andsecond microstrips define a length and the length of the each of thefirst and second microstrips is substantially equal to a multiple of onehalf a wavelength of an operational frequency of the antenna-coupler.19. The antenna-coupler according to claim 18, wherein each of the firstand second microstrips has a tapered profile.
 20. An antenna-coupler forcommunicating with a card having a transponder, the antenna-couplercomprising: a first microstrip and a second microstrip in a cross-likearrangement relative to each other and, wherein each of the first andsecond microstrips is configured to transmit one or more electromagneticfields concentrated in a near-field region of the antenna-coupler basedon the one or more received electrical signals for communicating withthe transponder, and wherein each of the first and second microstripsdefines a length substantially equal to one half a wavelength of anoperational frequency of the antenna-coupler selected from a range offrequencies from 300 MHz to 3 GHz.
 21. An apparatus for printing andcommunicating with one or more media cards, each media card includes atransponder configured to operate within a range of frequencies from 300MHz to 3 GHz, the apparatus comprising: a printhead for printing indiciaon the one or more media cards; and a communication device forcommunicating with the one or more media cards; wherein thecommunication device is positioned approximate to the printhead suchthat the printing and the communicating of the printhead and thecommunication device occur substantially simultaneously.